[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 125 (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H8330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RELATING TO EARLY ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE 
                             109TH CONGRESS

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 824) relating to 
early organization of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred 
Ninth Congress, and ask unanimous consent for its immediate 
consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to 
object, I want to thank the chairman for his timely handling of this 
matter.
  I also wanted to ensure that the legislative purposes of this 
resolution are clear.
  One purpose of this resolution is to continue the practice of 
allowing the House party leaders to call an early organizing caucus of 
their respective party members, and to do so before the statutorily 
established date of December 1st. Each party leader can schedule the 
caucus to begin on any date of his or her choosing after the date of 
the election. While it is customary to schedule the caucuses to begin 
at the same time, it is up to each party leader to make that decision 
for his or her party caucus. If the House has adjourned sine die, then 
each incumbent Members-elect, and a designated staff person, can be 
paid for their transportation expenses to attend the caucus. If the 
House has not adjourned sine die, then there are no travel expenses 
paid for incumbent Members-elect or their staff. New Members-elect, and 
a designated staff person from the district, can also attend with all 
attendance expenses paid by the House.
  The resolution also has the purpose of continuing the practice of 
allowing the House Leadership's orientation program(s), hosted by the 
Committee on House Administration, to be conducted at any time, or at 
multiple times, after the date of the election, and allows each Member-
elect, and a designated staff person, to be reimbursed for the expenses 
of attendance. The orientation program has usually been conducted as a 
part of, and during the same time period as the party caucuses. However 
if the caucuses are conducted at different times, then the orientation 
program could be conducted before, during, or after each caucus, with 
the Member-elect's, and designated staff person's expenses of 
attendance paid by the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 824

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. TIMING OF ORGANIZATIONAL CAUCUSES AND CONFERENCES 
                   FOR ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS.

       Any organizational caucus or conference in the House of 
     Representatives for the One Hundred Ninth Congress may begin 
     on or after November 3, 2004.

     SEC. 2. APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS TO ATTENDANCE OF 
                   MEMBERS AT ORIENTATION PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--With the approval of the majority leader 
     (in the case of a Member or Member-elect of the majority) or 
     the minority leader (in the case of a Member or Member-elect 
     of the minority), the provisions of law described in 
     subsection (b) shall apply with respect to the attendance of 
     a Member or Member-elect at a program conducted by the 
     Committee on House Administration for the orientation of new 
     members of the One Hundred Ninth Congress in the same manner 
     as such provisions apply to the attendance of the Member or 
     Member-elect at the organizational caucus or conference.
       (b) Provisions Described.--The provisions of law described 
     in this subsection are as follows:
       (1) Subsections (b) and (c) of section 202 of House 
     Resolution 988, Ninety-third Congress, agreed to on October 
     8, 1974, and enacted into permanent law by chapter III of 
     title I of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1975 (2 
     U.S.C. 29a).
       (2) Section 1 of House Resolution 10, Ninety-fourth 
     Congress, agreed to on January 14, 1975, and enacted into 
     permanent law by section 201 of the Legislative Branch 
     Appropriations Act, 1976 (2 U.S.C. 43b-2).

     SEC. 3. DEFINITION.

       As used in this resolution, the term ``organizational 
     caucus or conference'' means a party caucus or conference 
     authorized to be called under section 202(a) of House 
     Resolution 988, Ninety-third Congress, agreed to on October 
     8, 1974, and enacted into permanent law by chapter III of 
     title I of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1975 (2 
     U.S.C. 29a(a)).

  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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